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For questions or information about this blog and other social media tools used by San Diego International Airport, contact:Steven Shultz, M.S.
Deputy Director, Public & Community Relations /
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority: sshultz@san.org

The Airport Authority has its share of home gardeners, from sunflowers to heirloom tomatoes to jalapeño peppers. But one of our own does it in a big way—and it’s hit the local press.

Rainwater collection system.

One of our technology gurus not only has all of his gears turning but actually has two green thumbs. Kelly in the Airport Authority’s Information Technology Department and his wife, Janet, decided to convert their yard into an edible garden two years ago, and they haven’t looked back. Together they spent the better part of 2009 organically “killing” their lawn by depriving it of water, spraying it with vinegar, and cutting it super short. They then covered it with cardboard, water and 14 cubic yards of mulch, letting it compost for the organic edibles to follow.

Janet admits that “it looked like the dark side of the moon for nine months or so.” Kelly says that Janet brings the passion for saving the planet but that he seems to have a natural affinity for plants.

Compost is amended with worm castings and rain gutters have been added to collect water from those rare San Diego rain showers. The latest addition is a fortified trellis engineered by Kelly (it’s that geek thing coming through again…) that can support all of the weight of the tomatoes.

A yard transformed.

Kelly and Janet share ideas with other local enthusiasts through such organizations as San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project and Victory Gardens San Diego. If you are interested in learning more about Kelly’s gardening feats, check out the cover story in the Sep 2011 issue of the San Diego Reader.